Northern Michigan Fishing Report — August 18, 2025 (5 AM ET)
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Moon & Solunar Windows (ET) • Moon: Waning Gibbous (~53%) • Major Feeding Times: 5:30 AM–7:30 AM & 5:58 PM–7:58 PM • Minor Feeding Times: 1:37 PM–2:37 PM & 11:08 PM–12:08 AM
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Surface Temps & Thermocline • Lake Michigan Surface: ~71 °F • Inland Lakes: 71–75 °F • Thermocline Range: 30–55 ft, with a 5–7 °F drop—this is where the fish are hanging
Cool morning around 56 °F, climbing into the mid-70s today under mostly cloudy skies. Expect some afternoon and evening thunder-sprinkles — the morning remains your best fishing window.
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Salmon Report — North to South (Leland → Grand Haven) • Leland: Chinook and lake trout active in 100–180 ft; bites strongest at 70–90 ft using Familiar Bite herring strips behind flashers and meat rigs. Morning and evening windows hottest. • Frankfort: Steady king bite — herring strips producing well in 120–150 ft depths, baited 60–90 ft down, particularly in early light. • Manistee: Mixed kings, coho, and lake trout holding 80–100 ft down in 140–250 ft water columns. Familiar Bite herring strips working well behind flashers and meat rigs. • Ludington: Chinook and coho showing strong on herring strips, at depths of 70–100 ft, especially near The Projects. • Whitehall: Kings and steelhead hitting herring strips and spoons 40–60 ft down over bait pods. • Grand Haven: Consistent king bite—herring strips, meat rigs, and glow spoons all working from 60–100 ft down in 150–200 ft of water. Pre-sunrise productivity noted.
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Inland Lakes — Live Bait Updates (From Today’s Reports) • Houghton Lake: Walleye are biting well on crawler harnesses, plus leeches under slip-bobbers along drop-offs are working midday. • Lake Saint Helen: Walleye and perch being caught at dawn/dusk using slip-bobber minnows and drifting leeches. • Burt Lake: Reliable walleye action using crawler harnesses; drop-shot minnows over flats adding plus-ups early. • Long Lake (TC): Crawler harness drift and slip-bobber live minnows both producing near 20 ft structure. • Mullett Lake: Smallmouth and walleye on slow-drift minnows and crawler harnesses along rocky points. • Otsego Lake: Most anglers are catching walleye early with crawler harnesses and leeches under bobbers. • Black Lake: Perch and walleye near mouths going for both drifted minnows and bobber leeches. • Lake Cadillac: Live worms and crawlers on humps keeping steady action; drift minnows pulling suspended fish. • Lake Mitchell: Walleye and panfish on leeches under bobbers and crawler harnesses around weed edges. • Lake Missaukee: Bluegill and bass on bobbers; early walleye on crawler harnesses in deeper water. • Spider Lake (TC): Panfish and bass on crawlers under slips and crawling off points. • Lake Skegemog: Perch and bass staying consistent on leeches under bobbers near Torch River shoreline. • Grand Lake (Alpena): Walleye and smallmouth taking minnows on bobbers and drop-shot rigs near weed points. • Lake Margrethe (Grayling): Walleye and smallmouth active using leeches under bobbers and drifting minnows 12–22 ft; perch biting minnows near outer weedline early and late.
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Familiar Bite Herring Update
Across salmon ports, Familiar Bite herring strips remain top producers behind flashers and meat rigs, especially from Leland through Manistee. Consistently outperforming spoons in early and late light periods.
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Hot 10 Bites — Today’s Top Performers 1. Leland — Kings & lakers on herring strips, 70–90 ft ⬆ 2. Frankfort — Kings on herring and meat rigs, 60–90 ft ⬆ 3. Manistee — Mixed salmon on herring strips, 80–100 ft ⬆ 4. Houghton Lake — Walleye, crawler harness & bobber leeches ⬆ 5. Ludington — Kings/coho, herring strips, 70–100 ft 6. Burt Lake — Walleye, harness & minnows over flats 7. Lake Saint Helen — Walleye/perch, bobber leeches at dawn/dusk 8. Margrethe (Grayling) — Walleye/smallmouth on live bait 9. Whitehall — Kings/steelhead on herring strips, 40–60 ft 10. Otsego Lake — Walleye on harness and bobber early ⬆
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Live Bait Pro Tip
Keep your minnows and leeches lively—refresh every 20 minutes, and store them in water cooled with a frozen bottle or aerated setup. Fish respond better to active bait that swims and twitches naturally in warm conditions.
Drop Shot Crawlers for Walleye – Long Lake Hot Bite
Walleye limits are hitting the boards right now on Long Lake near Traverse City — and the top rig? Drop shot with nightcrawlers. This short shows you exactly how to rig it, how to fish it, and when to be on the water. It’s finesse, it’s real bait, and it’s catching fish.
🪱 Rig: • 1/4 oz drop shot weight • Hook 12–14" above the weight • Half of a nightcrawler, nose-hooked
📍 Target Depth: 12–22 ft
🕓 Best Times: First light and dusk
🎯 Presentation: Slow drag or dead stick over gravel and weed edges
Northern Michigan Fishing Report — August 17, 2025 (5 AM ET)
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Moon & Solunar Windows (ET) • Moon: Waning Gibbous (~54%) • Major Bites: 5:31 AM–7:31 AM & 5:59 PM–7:59 PM • Minor Bites: 1:38 PM–2:38 PM & 11:09 PM–12:09 AM
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Water Temps & Thermocline • Lake Michigan surface: ~71 °F • Inland lakes: 71–75 °F • Thermocline: 30–55 ft, with a 5–7 °F drop—target this zone for most pelagic bites
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Weather Update — Traverse City Area
Today’s forecast: mid-70s, mostly cloudy with passing sun, possible afternoon showers—perfect fishing in the morning and evening.
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Salmon Report — North to South (Leland, Frankfort, Manistee, Ludington, Whitehall, Grand Haven) • Leland: Chinook and lake trout showing in 100–180 ft; most success at 70–80 ft using meat rigs and spoons. Strong late-day bite reported. • Frankfort: Chinook actively taking spoons and meat rigs down at 60–90 ft in 120–160 ft water. Afternoon holds well. • Manistee: Mixed salmon (king, coho, lake trout) found 80–100 ft down in 140–240 ft. Flasher-fly and plugs hottest when trolled slow. • Ludington: Active on spoons and flasher-fly rigs deeper—best 70–100 ft down; morning time frame is most consistent. • Whitehall: Kings and steelhead over bait pods; 40–60 ft down with glow spoons performing. • Grand Haven: Still strong—king salmon early in 80–150 ft, bites 50–100 ft down on meat rigs and glow spoons, especially pre-sunrise.
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Inland Lakes — Live Bait Updates (Mixed Methods)
Using real data from today’s local updates and social posts: • Houghton Lake: Walleye strong midday on crawler harnesses; smallmouth picked at with leeches under slip-bobbers along drop-offs. • Lake Saint Helen: Dawn/dusk action: walleye and perch on live minnows under slip-bobbers; midday spot flicks of leeches near weeds getting hits. • Burt Lake: Walleye biting on crawler harnesses deep, but drop-shot minnows over flats adding extra fish early. Drifting crawler harness is still most reliable. • Long Lake (Traverse City): Slip-bobber minnows over 20 ft structure and drifting crawler harness both producing—the latter catching more keepers. • Mullett Lake: Smallmouth and walleye on crawler harnesses and slow drifted minnows near rocky edges—both working. • Otsego Lake: Early anglers report success with crawler harness in 12–18 ft; slip-bobber leeches also picking up fish at first light. • Black Lake: Perch and walleye near river mouths hitting leeches under bobbers and jigged live minnows—both methods pull. • Lake Cadillac: Live crawlers fished from piers and drop-shot minnows working suspended fish—both methods applying depending on depth. • Lake Mitchell: Panfish and walleye reacting to leeches under bobbers and crawler harnesses near weed edges early. • Lake Missaukee: Bluegill and bass chasing minnows under bobbers; early walleye bites on crawler harness deeper. • Spider Lake (Traverse City): Panfish and bass hitting minnows on bobber and live crawlers on light jigheads—structure edge pays off. • Lake Skegemog: Perch and bass on leeches under bobbers near Torch River bank—it’s slow but steady. • Grand Lake (Alpena): Walleye and smallmouth taken on minnows under bobber and drop-shot rigs near weed points—both holders. • Lake Margrethe (Grayling): Walleye and smallmouth active on leeches under slip-bobber and drop-shot rigs 12–22 ft; perch on minnows near weedline at dawn/dusk.
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Upper Peninsula — Live Bait Highlights • Little Bay de Noc: Walleye biting on crawler harnesses; smallmouth hitting crawlers and leeches on structure. • Munising Bay (Lake Superior): Lake trout landing on live bait rigs; coho and Chinook catching attention in early morning. • Portage Entry (Lake Superior): Lake trout on drop-shot minnows and troll spoons; live bait adding edge. • Ontonagon / Black River Harbor: Lake trout holding deep; live bait rigs adding connectivity to structure. • Lake Gogebic: Walleye and perch biting minnows under bobber earlier; drop-shot rigs working suspended fish as water warms.
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Hot 10 Bites — Best Now (Mixed Methods) 1. Leland — Chinook & lake trout, meat rigs, 70–80 ft down ⬆ 2. Frankfort — Kings on spoons/meat rigs, 60–90 ft; harness working too ⬆ 3. Manistee — Mixed kings/coho, plugs/spoons, 80–100 ft down ⬆ 4. Houghton Lake — Walleye on crawler harness & slip-bobber leeches ⬆ 5. Ludington — Kings/coho on flasher-fly/spoons, 70–100 ft ⬆ 6. Burt Lake — Walleye on crawler harness, drop-shot minnows productive 7. Lake Saint Helen — Walleye/perch, slip-bobber live bait at dawn/dusk 8. Margrethe (Grayling) — Walleye/smallmouth, slip-bobber & drop-shot leeches/minnows 9. Otsego Lake — Walleye via crawler harness early; slip-bobber holding at depth 10. Mullett Lake — Smallmouth/walleye on crawler harness and drifting minnows
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Pro Tip
In waters with heavy vegetation, fish leeches or minnows under a slip-bobber with a light glow tip for subtle action. On open water or rock edges, switch to crawler- or drop-shot rigs to keep bait in zone.
